Office of the Historian

160. Notes of Telephone Conversation Between the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger) and Secretary of Defense Laird1 2

Washington, November 18, 1969, 11:55 a.m.

K wanted to discuss the NSC meeting. #1 K said he was going to ask General Wheeler to give facts of what strikes we have. When they get into the policy, K said he would make sure the President calls on Laird first. On the BW, K’s view was that we should keep R&D for decision positions (?).

Laird said the thing about it is that this paper deals with some important issues down the line—it doesn’t address the basic question—what kind of weapons, strategic or [omission in original] that have conversion capability. Laird didn’t think biological warfare is a strategic weapon. K said that would be brought out at the meeting. There will be no affirmative decision for any BW program.

[Omitted here is unrelated material.]

  1. Source: Library of Congress, Manuscript Division, Kissinger Papers, Box 361, Telephone Conversations, Chronological File, November 18–28, 1969. No classification marking.↩
  2. Kissinger and Laird discussed further the upcoming NSC meeting on CBW.↩